My Personal Statement On My Experience - 891 Words

Eager to see my SOL scores, I tore open the letter, as if an excited tiger would to its prey. My name was clearly written on the top of the letter. Below my name, my SOL score, printed in black and white ink glared at me. Blackly staring at the letter, I rolled my eye back up to double check that the score was mine. It sure said my name on the paper and below my name was a category for my 6th grade math SOL. Still unconvinced that it was correctly mailed, I checked to see if my house address was correctly printed. Unsurprisingly, the mailman accurately delivered the mail to the correct house. All my information was correct. Unwillingly, I went back to my letter, which read ‘Pass Proficient.’ I was a few points away from ‘pass advanced’†¦show more content†¦The only audible sound was my thumping heart and my hard-breathing mouth, trying to keep me alive. In this hall, the dim lights didn’t conceal my blushing cheeks, for my face was glowing, like Halloween pumpkin lanterns. Finally I whispered, â€Å"I got a Pass Proficient on my math SOL.† Just as I had expected, their white teeth peeked out from their mouth, which instantly became a mocking laughter. My other friends peacefully conversed in the classroom at the end of the hall, until they heard elephants rumbling down the hall. There were no elephants in my church; it was William and Grace racing to the classroom, like marathon runners who see the finish line. Even before they reached the double door, they already grabbed everyone’s attention. William, known for his loud mouth, informed them about my math SOL score. Afterwards, I noticed that my peers looked at me differently, each commenting and laughing. The first time I wanted to run away from this world was 4 years ago when I was publicly humiliated by Grace and William. I never felt that bad about myself. I couldn’t manage my thoughts. Why are people judged by a grade? I knew all the materials and I was fully capable of getting a perfect score on the SOL; I just felt tired and exhausted that particular test day. This incident aroused many interesting questions in my mind. But the real question is why does this grade really matter to me? It is not because my parents would be upset; certainly not because I

Boracay as a Model for Carabao Island Free Essays

Boracay, an island in the province of Aklan, still remains as one of the world’s best island getaways. In February this year, Boracay was named the top island getaway of Travel+Leisure Magazine (ABS-CBN, 2013). The island has always been part of many other rankings of beaches and island destinations. We will write a custom essay sample on Boracay as a Model for Carabao Island or any similar topic only for you Order Now Amidst all the praises that the island has gained, many issues have risen and still exist in the island. In 1997, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources announced that Boracay’s waters off Long Beach were contaminated with coliform (Trousdale, 1999). This was blamed on inadequate sewage treatment and is aggravated by the large number of tourists arriving in the island (Lujan, 2003). This is still a problem in the island until now and yet tourists still flock to Boracay all year round. In the documentary, â€Å"Ang Tagong Boracay†, it was shown that resorts are still being put up in Boracay even with over 300 resorts already lining up the beachfront. This has happened despite directives from the national government to stop building in Boracay. Tourists still flock to Boracay despite the overcrowding and waste management issues to see what it is about this island that makes it world famous. Many other tourists go here for the famous night parties of Boracay. And of course, Boracay’s famous powdery white sand which is actually pulverized calcium carbonate from dead corals is also a reason for the numerous tourists in the area. Carabao Island is an island an hour away from Boracay. It is under the municipality of San Jose of Romblon. Carabao Island has white sand beaches as well. Many of its residents are workers in Boracay. The local government plans to make the island a tourism destination. Documentaries such as the â€Å"Ang Tagong Boracay† create awareness for people about the situation in Boracay but this has been a long-term problem of the island. And there have been numerous news and journal articles about the situation there and still only band-aid solutions have been presented. Arrivals remain to be strong in Boracay (Trousdale, 1999). This is one of the reasons why local leaders seem to ignore the fact that Boracay has become a crowded island with corresponding environmental problems. One instance is how they refuse to recognize that the algal blooms are partially a result of the rapid development of tourism facilities without proper planning (Pillout, 1996 in Trousdale, 1999). Management must be consistent and proactive (Trousdale, 1999). In the case of Boracay, the management is the local government. The local government should be responsive. Solutions must not only be for the short term. Trousdale stated that long term threats to future generations come from the undesirable cumulative effects of development which result from the absence of day-to-day management of the island. Many ordinances and policies have already been passed to solve Boracay’s many problems. The key to this is the proper and efficient implementation of these policies. The local government must be watchful and strict in implementing these policies and national government directives. Good governance is needed to identify and prioritize the community values and fuse them with technical answers that are most suitable. Development must always be planned. Pattaya is an example of unplanned and spontaneous coastal development in Southeast Asia (Wong, 1998). It has a 300-meter stretch of bars, nightclubs and massage parlors. Unplanned development has caused environmental degradation where the island’s natural tree cover has been removed, wetlands have been converted into open sewers, the beachfront land has been exploited and sea and beach has been polluted due to inadequate sewage treatment. Careful planning must be applied in Carabao Island before they start the implementation of their plans to open it as a tourism destination. According to Wong, environmental impact assessments are very important especially in coastal tourism developments. This must not just be done for big projects only but must also cover small constructions as well. Wong notes that Boracay demonstrates that small-scale tourism is possible. However, when tourist arrivals increase and planning was not done, the undesirable impacts can be serious. Therefore, planning really is important. Standards must also be enforced (Wong, 1998). Much like the policies, they must be implemented and regularly checked. For example, there are already developments in the disposal of sewage. Pipes must be regularly checked for cracks to avoid groundwater contamination. This also, lessens the need for additional costs once contamination occurs. Boracay is a good example of what not to do in tourism destinations. Through the efforts of the national government, the local government, tourism organizations, non-government organizations and the locals, Boracay can still be fixed. What they need is a workshop with representatives from each of the sectors to talk about the existing issues of the island. At the end of the workshop, new policies should be crafted and implemented. Carabao Island, on the other hand, must first consult with the locals. This is one of the important steps in tourism planning as they know more about the place. Careful planning, good governance and constant checking of the plan must be maintained throughout the implementation of the tourism plan. The combination of these guarantees that a certain destination remains sustainable. Bibliography Lujan, N. (2003, January 20-21). Boracay’s Road to Ruin. Retrieved March 5, 2013, from Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism: http://pcij. org/stories/2003/boracay. html Malig, J. (2013, February 21). Boracay named 2012 world’s best island. Retrieved March 5, 2013, from ABSCBNnews. com: http://www. abs-cbnnews. com/lifestyle/07/06/12/boracay-named-2012-worlds-best-island Trousdale, W. J. (1999). GOVERNANCE IN CONTEXT: Boracay Island, Philippines. Annals of Tourism Research , 840-867. Wong, P. (1998). Coastal tourism development in Southeast Asia. Ocean Coastal Management , 89-109. How to cite Boracay as a Model for Carabao Island, Essay examples

Socratic Piety Essays - Socratic Dialogues, Dialogues Of Plato

Socratic Piety "You were on the point of doing so, but you turned away. If you had given that answer, I should now have acquired from you sufficient knowledge of the nature of piety."(Euthyphro 14c) To understand why Socrates was tormenting Euthyphro throughout this dialogue and why he considers himself to be "the god's gift to you"(Apology 30e), it is necessary to first examine what Socrates himself believes the nature of piety is. Through a careful analysis of Socrates' own words in the Euthyphro, Apology, and Protagoras, it is possible to come to a concrete conclusion of what Socrates viewed the virtue of piety to be. If we can accept Socrates' contributions to the Euthyphro, then he believed that piety was some sort of service to the gods, like a craftsman helping the gods to produce something good. (Brickhouse and Smith 66) The problem with this definition is that Euthyphro never suitably elaborates on what it is exactly that a pious person is able to produce in serving the gods. His finally ejaculates the almost laughable "many fine things, Socrates"(Euthyphro 13e) in an attempt to ward off any further questions making piety almost seem as some kind of system of exchange between the gods and men. Socrates believes that piety is not "an art of commercial exchanges between gods and men" since the gods require no gifts from us while we are in need of the gifts they have to offer. (Vlastos 174) Furthermore, Socrates rejects Euthyphro's attempts to define piety as something dear to the gods. Piety does not depend on any outside influences like the love of the gods or the way anyone feels about it. It has its own identity restricting any interpretation by men or gods. (Vlastos 165) From these clues dropped in the Euthyphro, it can be concluded that Socrates viewed piety as some kind of constant behavior outside of the influences of men or gods. Piety also can be loosely thought of as some sort of service that men perform for the gods, but to what end has yet to be discovered. When Socrates endeavors to explain himself in the Apology, a much more coherent picture what he believes piety to be comes into view. In defending himself against the charges of Meletus in regards to his impiety, Socrates claims that he is serving the god and therefore is not impious in his philosophical mission because he was ordered to do as he has done. (Brickhouse and Smith 66) To appreciate how this mission is truly pious and why Socrates believes it to be, one must examine the god that Socrates refers to. For Socrates, the gods are not deceitful and wish the best for the Athenians. In this wishing the best, they need an agent, namely Socrates, to try and make people examine their own beliefs in order that they may come to better ones and by doing so come to gain wisdom. (Vlastos 173-74) Turning now to the Protagoras, we can come to learn what the nature of this wisdom that Socrates attempts to gain and teach is. Through a long and drawn out argument with the sophist Protagoras, Socrates argues for the unity of all virtues through wisdom, which is defined as true knowledge of good and evil. If one is in possession of such wisdom, then one will not be able to ever make a choice that goes against what virtue demands. Basically what Socrates tries to get across is that through gaining wisdom alone, an individual may gain an understanding of every other virtue as well. Wisdom is therefore the source of piety amongst the others. Now armed with this image of wisdom, we may couple it with Socrates' mission and his belief of the god. If the god were truly wise, as Socrates believes him to be, then he would be guided by a clear knowledge of the virtues. If this is the case, the god, wishing the best for mankind which does not possess this wisdom, would desire to teach man in order that mankind might better itself. The problem is that the god is not able to simply appear to all men and bestow upon them this wisdom. They require an agent to go about to the people to attempt to coerce them into examining their beliefs. Socrates claims to be such an agent. (Vlastos 177) Finally, a clear understanding of Socratic piety can be surmised from the information contained within these three dialogues. Piety is the way in which one gives

Free Essays on The Battle For Chattanooga

Outline I. Introduction II. Events contributing to the Battle of Chattanooga. A. The Union Army 1. President Lincoln 2. General Ulysses S. Grant B. The Confederate Army 1. The Battle of Chickamauga 2. General Braxton Bragg III. The Battle of Chattanooga A. Brown’s Ferry 1. Strategic Value 2. Longstreet Retreats B. Orchard Knob 1. Reconnaissance 2. Grant Controls Orchard Knob C. Lookout Mountain 1. General Hooker 2. Battle at Lookout Mountain D. Missionary Ridge 1. Confederate Headquarters 2. Battle at Missionary Ridge IV. Aftermath of the battle A. Casualties B. Promotions and Demotions V. Conclusion The Civil War was the bloodiest war in United States history. This war tested the values and courage of all early Americans. The Battle of Chattanooga was one of the most important battles fought in the war. The victor would control Chattanooga and its surrounding territory and would have an upper hand in the war. General Ulysses S. Grant was at the Battle of Vicksburg and did an outstanding job with his troops in the Union victory. President Lincoln was impressed with Grant and promoted him to Commander. Grant was given orders to gather his troops and lead them into Chattanooga at once. â€Å"He gathered a little over 60,000 men† (Chattanooga Campaign, 179). Included in this amount, were troops from Generals Hooker, Sherman, and Thomas. Grant marched the troops to Chattanooga to keep the east-west passageway functioning. This was important in deploying men and supplies being shipped or railed to their battles and headquarters. After the battles of Vicksburg and Chickamauga, Bragg was deployed to gather troops and surround Chattanooga. The Confederates also needed Chattanooga because it was one of the last places able to transport men and supplies railroad. The Union troops were surrounded by the Confederate troops. Grant knew the Confederates had an advant... Free Essays on The Battle For Chattanooga Free Essays on The Battle For Chattanooga Outline I. Introduction II. Events contributing to the Battle of Chattanooga. A. The Union Army 1. President Lincoln 2. General Ulysses S. Grant B. The Confederate Army 1. The Battle of Chickamauga 2. General Braxton Bragg III. The Battle of Chattanooga A. Brown’s Ferry 1. Strategic Value 2. Longstreet Retreats B. Orchard Knob 1. Reconnaissance 2. Grant Controls Orchard Knob C. Lookout Mountain 1. General Hooker 2. Battle at Lookout Mountain D. Missionary Ridge 1. Confederate Headquarters 2. Battle at Missionary Ridge IV. Aftermath of the battle A. Casualties B. Promotions and Demotions V. Conclusion The Civil War was the bloodiest war in United States history. This war tested the values and courage of all early Americans. The Battle of Chattanooga was one of the most important battles fought in the war. The victor would control Chattanooga and its surrounding territory and would have an upper hand in the war. General Ulysses S. Grant was at the Battle of Vicksburg and did an outstanding job with his troops in the Union victory. President Lincoln was impressed with Grant and promoted him to Commander. Grant was given orders to gather his troops and lead them into Chattanooga at once. â€Å"He gathered a little over 60,000 men† (Chattanooga Campaign, 179). Included in this amount, were troops from Generals Hooker, Sherman, and Thomas. Grant marched the troops to Chattanooga to keep the east-west passageway functioning. This was important in deploying men and supplies being shipped or railed to their battles and headquarters. After the battles of Vicksburg and Chickamauga, Bragg was deployed to gather troops and surround Chattanooga. The Confederates also needed Chattanooga because it was one of the last places able to transport men and supplies railroad. The Union troops were surrounded by the Confederate troops. Grant knew the Confederates had an advant...

Quotes from Harry S Truman

Quotes from Harry S Truman Harry S Truman served as the 33rd president of the United States during the end of World War II. Following are key quotes from Truman during his time as president. On War, the Military, and The Bomb In the simplest terms, what we are doing in Korea is this: We are trying to prevent a third world war. If there is one basic element in our Constitution, it is civilian control of the military. Sixteen hours ago an American airplane dropped one bomb on Hiroshima...The force from which the sun draws its powers has been loosed against those who brought the war in the Far East. It is part of my responsibility as Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces to see to it that our country is able to defend itself against any possible aggressor. Accordingly, I have directed the Atomic Energy Commission to continue its work on all forms of atomic weapons, including the so-called hydrogen or  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹super-bomb. The Soviet Union does not have to attack the United States to secure domination of the world. It can achieve its ends by isolating us and swallowing up all our allies. On Character, America and The Presidency A man cannot have character unless he lives within a fundamental system of morals that creates character. America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and unbeatable determination to do the job at hand. Within the first few months, I discovered that being a President is like riding a tiger. A man has to keep on riding or be swallowed. Its a recession when your neighbor loses his job; its a depression when you lose yours.

Ross-Cultural Awareness Impacts on Communication Skills Essay

Ross-Cultural Awareness Impacts on Communication Skills - Essay Example One culture might have different meanings than another. In these regards, they are not trying to be disrespectful, yet may be perceived as such. I also believe cultural awareness will help me develop strategies and create much more effective advertisements for my company. Some words and jokes might not be easily translated and sometimes you may need to adapt your marketing policy or modify your product to that region. Trompenaar noted that understanding cultural differences gives clues about how people solve their problems. With proper knowledge you can see opportunities in the area and expand your business. Cross-cultural awareness removes the barriers between people and provides healthier relationships. With knowledge of verbal cultural differences, I hope to communicate with people from different ethnic backgrounds more efficiently. When I’m communicating with people, I need to choose my words more sensibly to not offend them. Another point with this knowledge is that I wil l become more tolerant with people because I will know that they are not trying to be disrespectful or arrogant; it is part of their culture. As communication largely occurs through verbal elements, I believe that gaining an increased understanding of different languages will in-turn contribute to greater amounts of cultural understanding. The improvement of this cultural understanding will then extend to areas that are not simply linked to language, but also will include a more comprehensive recognition of the deep and meaningful elements.

Sociology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Sociology - Essay Example An Industrial Breakthrough: Taylorism After having worked in the steel industry and noticed a pervasive culture of purposeful inefficiency and underperformance of workers called ‘soldiering’, Frederick Winslow Taylor (1856-1915) was motivated to scientifically investigate the causes and solutions to the said problem. The outcome of his investigation -- a comprehensive work which received both commendation and criticism upon its release -- was encapsulated in The Principles of Scientific Management (1911). In his unorthodoxly treatise, Taylor greatly emphasized the need to employ scientific methods in improving the occupational operations of industries to combat workers’ sloppiness and unprolificacy. He also advocated for the division and simplification of job routines and for the optimisation of specialised responsibility (Kanigel 5). In his ‘time and motion studies,’ Taylor sought to determine the fastest way to complete a specific task and the best possible way to conduct it. After several experiments, Taylor was able to propose monumental scientific management principles to maximise efficiency and profit that would also benefit not only the owners, managers and workers of a particular industry but also the whole economy. Interchangeably called Taylorism, the school of thought revolves around the belief that the scientific study of the whole gamut of occupational tasks is key in the success of the business; that the systematic selection, training and development of each worker is important in ensuring higher productivity values; and that division of work between management (planning) and workers (execution) should be implemented so that focused attention is rendered towards their respective duties (Taylor and Epley 45). To be sure, Taylorism is a management system that aims to guarantee maximum prosperity for the owner and at the same time, considerable material improvement for the worker -- higher wages, better working condit ions and higher productivity. In the words of Pugh (1997, p. 275), â€Å"maximum prosperity for the owner meant the development of all aspects of the business and the achievement of good financial results. Benefits for the worker meant offering relatively high salaries and more efficient utilization of labour, that is, the attribution of higher level tasks according to their present manual skills.† Moreover, the payment-by-result method of wage determination in Taylorism implants the bonus piecework scheme, rewarding the employee per work done rather than his or her skill level. Although rightly denounced by individual laborers and labor groups for trying to alienate them (indirectly but substantially) and treating them as mindless, emotionless, and easily replicable factors of production, Taylorism was a critical factor in the unprecedented growth of US manufacturing output that catapulted Allied victory in Second World War, and the subsequent US domination in the industrial world. The said management practice and industrial protocol has also been tremendously emulated in some other parts of the industrialized world, thus changing the face of work and the entire landscape of the industrial sector (Tickell and Peck 358). A Fresh Perspective: Fordism The criticism against Taylorism based on the grounds that it dehumanises the workforce by treating the members as machines and by looking at them as ‘